Mining machine



Patented d. 11, 1927.

pairs stares rarest ser es. I

MORRIS 1?. HOLMES, OF CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO SULLIVAN MACHINERY COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF lviAssACHUsETTS.

MINING MACHINE.

Application f led December 10, 1917, sei-iai No. 206,458. Renewed December 27,1926.

My invention relates to mining machines.

It has for its object to provide improved and simplified guiding means whereby such a machine may be guided into the coal during its sumping or starting out. A further object of my invention is to provide improved cooperating supporting means whereby the height of the cutter bar of the machine may be conveniently adjusted at any time relative to the mine bottom in such a manner as to facilitate the cutting operation. These and other objects and advantages of my improved construction will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a mining machine equipped with my improvement the same being shown in position to make its sumping or starting cut.

Fig. 2 is a partial transverse sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1, the guiding means being shown in operative position.

F ig. 3 is a. plan view of the locking block disposed in its initial position in the bar.

Fig. i is a similar view showing the same in its locked position in the bar.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective .view of the block removed from the bar.

In this illustrative construction, I have shown a mining machine 1 of the usual motor driven type'mounted upon a suitable shoe 2, slidable over the mine bottom, and having protruding from its front end a usual type of longitudinally slotted cutter bar 3 rigidly connected to the frame and equipped with the usual cutter chain 4. As in the usual construction,this machine is also self-propelled, the same herein being shown as provided for this purpose with a suitable flexible feeding element 5 adapted to be propelled from the motor and controlled through suitable controlling mechanism including a controlling member 6. As the detail construction of the machine per se, however, does not enter specifically into this invention, the same need not herein be more specifically described.

In my improvement it will be observed that advantage is taken of the fact that the bar 8 is slotted longitudinally substantially throughout its length, my improved guiding and supporting mechanism being disposed in this slot, herein shown at 7, and adapted to cooperate therewith. As illustrated, it will be observed that a jack pipe 8, preferably having a usual adjustable extremity 9, adjustable through means of the threaded adjusting and bracing means 10, is hinged at 11 to a threaded supporting member 12 extending through the slot 7 and having a preferably enlarged foot-piece 13 adapted to engage the mine bottom at a point heneath the bar. This threaded member 12, as shown herein, also passes through a correspondingly threaded opening in a suitable block adapted to be received in the slot 7 and herein shown to be of substantially rectangular form and to comprise spaced top and bottom portions or plates 14 of the same size and configuration and an intermediate cam-like portion 15 having curved surfaces 16 at its opposite ends and fiat surfaces 17 at its opposite sides, the latter being adapted to engage with the side Walls of the slot 7 when the block is rotated from the initial position shown in Fig. 3 to the overlapped orengaged position thereof shown in Fi 4.. The members 14 and 15 may be fastened together by bolts, rivets, or by welding, or if desired this guiding member maybe made from a single block by cutting the slots and cam surfaces thereon.

In the operation of a machine equipped with my improvement, it will be observed that, after the machine has been unloaded from its truck and brought into position to be sumped, i. e. with the end'of its bar 3 adjacent the face, the jack 8 may be placed in operative position at the front end of the bar, as shown in Fig. 1, by simply dropping the block and jack through'the slot 7 when the block is in alignment with the latter, and then turning the block from the initial position shown in Fig. 3 to the lock- I ing position shown in Fig. =1, wherein its. edges overlap the edges of the slot. Since the cutter bar is supported by the mining machine, the block can be easily turned by hand to engage the cutter bar, as shown in Fig. 4. Obviously, the jack may then be attached to the roof in'a well known manner through manipulation of the adjusting means 10. whereupon the machine is ready for sumping. During this latter operation, the block will obviously act as a guide, the side walls of theslot 7 in the bar sliding relative tothesurfaces 17 of thethen sta- V tionary block.

to adjust vertically the bar 3 relative to the bottom, it will also be noted that this may be readily accomplished in my improved construction by a simple rotation of the jack pipe 8 and its hinged connection 11 from any given positionyln such a manner as to cause the bar tto be adjustedon the screw- 12 as desired, the parts being thenheld in any given position of adjustment by the threaded connection or by means of an independent adjustment of the jack adjusting means 10. It should be noted that when the screw 12is rotated to elevate the cutter bar, the weight of the latter will force the "threads of the-block 14 into a strongflfric:

40. y be observed th at through the utilization of I the tional engagement wit-h the threads of the screw 12} so that when the screw is rotated in a direction to lower the bar the screw may carry the block with it for the first quarter turn and move the block from the engaging position shownin Fig. lto the disengaging position shown in Fig. 3 and so release the block from the bar. Inasmuch as the sumping jack is chiefly used for elevating the bar, this block releasing means makes iteasy to disengage the jack from the cutter bar after the sumping out has been: made without necessitating the lowering of the cutter bar or driving the block through the quarter turn.

noted that an exceedingly simple guiding means is produced, the block being adapted effectually to hold the bar in the desired path during the sumping operation, while the twoelements of the jack co-act with the bottom and roof in such a manner asto form an exceedingly stable brace. It will also my improvement it is possible to apply the same to any standard type of mining machine using a slotted bar, and without any change therein, the guidlng means being adaptedto be inserted bodily in the slot in er and adjusted into the desired locking position. Further, it will be evidentthat through the utilization of locking means v adapted tozcooperate withthe screw 12 in such a manner as toretain the surfaces 17 against the side walls of the slot when the screw is rotated in one direction, a very eflicient i'orm oi. lock'may be produced which is adapted at the sometime to permit vertiswinging the jack bodily to turn the hinged Itit is desired at any time As a result of my improvemenhit will be connection 11 and screw 12. These and other advantages of my improved construction will, however, be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

The mine fioors are very rough and uneven, and it often happens tha-tas the mining machine is moving across the floor. it will tilt or pitch and so change the angle at which the cutter bar is acting or tend to bind the cutter bar in the kert. Under such conditions the jack may be easily and quickly inserted in the slot of the bar to eievate the same until the unevenness in the mine floor has been passed over by the mining machine, when the jack may bejquickly res moved."

l/Vhile I have in this application speciticaliy described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it willbe understood that this form otthe same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the same may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

' What I claim as new and desire to se'cur byrLetters Patent is:

1 In a mining machine, a machine frame, a slotted cutter bar thereon, a block carried in the slot in said bar, a supporting member threaded in said block and adapted to adjust the block relative to the mine bottom, and

a bracing member hin ed to said supporting 7 member. V

2. In a mining machine, a machine frame, a slotted cutter bar thereon, a block carried in said cutter bar and supported independently of said frame, a supporting member treaded in said block and adjustable relative thereto, and means for rendering said supporting mem or substantially stationary during the sumping operation.

8. In a mining machine, a machine frame,

a slotted cutter bar thereon, a block carried in the slot in said bar, a supporting member threaded in said'bloci: and adapted to adjust the'bloch relative to the mine bottom, a member hinged to said supporting member, and means for varying the eiiective length of said member.

4. In a mining machine, a machine frame, a slotted cutter bar thereon, a block slidahle in the slot in said bar, a vertically adjustable member threaded in said block, and means whereby upon rotation of said member in one direction saidblocl: is held against rotation in that direct-ion or vertical movement relative to said bar. i

5. In a mining machine, a machine frame, a slotted cutter bar thereon, a block sl dable in the slot in said bar and having upper and lower members adapted to be received in said slot and engage the edges thereof in different positions and an intermediate port on dap to ngag e Side r of n lIiC ii i) one'of said positions, a supporting member threaded in said block, and means pivotally connected to said member for adjusting said member in said block.

6. In a mining machine, a machine frame, a slot-ted cutter bar thereon, and vertically adjustable cutter bar guiding means independent of said frame including a detachable block adapted to be inserted in the slot and engaging said bar. to guide the latter.

7. In a mining machine, a machine frame, a slotted cutter bar thereon, a cutter bar guiding means independent of said frame including a member adapted to be inserted in the slot and engaging said bar to guide the latter, and means for adjusting the vertical position of said member.

8. In a mining machine, a machine frame, a slotted cutter bar thereon, a cutter bar guiding means independent of said frame including a member adapted to be inserted in the slotand engaging said bar to guide the latter, and means for adjusting the vertical position of said member and for bracing the member. 7

9. In a mining machine, a machine frame, a slotted cutter bar thereon,a block disposed in the slot in said bar and adapted to engage the latter, a vertically adjustable jack connected to said block, and means whereby upon rotation of said jack in one direction said block is moved out of engagement with said bar.

10. In a mining machine, a machine frame, a slotted cutter bar thereon, a block disposed in the slot in said bar and adapted to engage the latter, a vertically adjustable jack connected to said block, and means whereby upon rotation of said jack in one direction said block is retained in engaging position and whereby when said block is moved in the other direction the block is moved out of engagement with the bar.

11. A room and pillar mining machine comprising a frame and a rigid forwardly projecting cutter bar, and means independ ent of said frame and slidably engageable by said bar during a sumping movement thereof vertically adjustable to vary the relation of said bar to the bottom.

12. A room and pillar mining machine comprising a frame and a rigid forwardly projecting longitudinally slotted cutter bar, and means independent of said frame and slidably engageable by said bar during a sumping movement thereof vertically adjustable to vary the position of said bar relative to the bottom and removable through the slot in said bar.

13. In a cutter bar support, an adjustable unit consisting of a foot-piece adapted to lie on a mine bottom, a block, a threaded portion extending upward from said foot-piece and threaded into said block, and a jack hinged on the upper end of said threaded portion adjustable to vary the elevation of said foot-piece when said block is held against rotation and to engage a mine surface to hold said elements in position as a unit. I

14-. In a mining machine of the character which is slidable over the mine bottom during cutting and which is adapted tobe sumped and thereafter moved laterally to effect the making of a cut across a face, a machine frame,- a cutter bar ri 'idly connected thereto, and means supported as regards connection to said machine solely'on said bar and adjustable to support the latter at dif-' ferent heights, v

15. In a mining machine of the character which is slidable over the mine bottom dun ing cutting and which is adapted to be sumped and thereafter moved laterally to effect the making of a cut across a face, a machine frame, a plane cutter bar rigidly connected thereto, and means supported as regards connection to said machinesolely onv said bar and adjustable to support the latter at different heights, said means having a connection with said bar permitting relative sliding movementtherebetween.

, 16. In a mining machine of the character which is slidable over the mine bottom during cutting and which is adapted to be sumped and thereafter moved laterally to effect the making of a cut-across a face, a machine frame, a plane cutter bar .rigidly connected thereto, and meanssupported as regards connection to said machine solely on said bar and adjustable to support the latter,

at different heights, said means being detachable from said bar. a

17. In a mining machine of the character which is slidable over the mine bottom during cutting and which is adapted to be sumped and thereafter moved laterallyto effect the making of a cut across a face, a machine frame, a plane cutter bar rigidly connected thereto, and means supported as regards connection to said machine solely on said bar and adjustable to support the latter at different heights, said means being detachable from said bar and engageable with an extraneous point on a mine roof or bottom.

18. In a mining machine of the character which is slidable over the mine bottom during cutting and which is adapted to be sumped and thereafter moved laterally to effect the making of a cut across a face, a machine frame, a plane cutter bar rigidly connected thereto, and means supported as regards connection to said machine solely on said bar and adjustable to support the latter a at different heights, said means being a unitary means and engageable with a plurality of extraneous points on a mine roof and bottom.

19. In a mining machine of the character which is slidable over a mine bottom during cutting and Which is adapted tobe sumped and thereafter moved laterally to effect the -making-of' a cut across a face, a machine is slidable over a mine bottom during cutting and which is adapted to be sumped and thereafter moved laterally across a face, a

machine frame, a slotted cutter bar thereon, a block carried in the slotin the bar and haw ing no other connection with said machine, and means carried by said blocl; and adjustable relative thereto "for maintaining said block stationary duringthe sumping opera- 21, In a mining machine of the type which is slidable over amine bottom duringcut ting and Which-is adaptedvto be sumped and thereafter moved laterally across a face, a machine frame, a slotted-cutter bar thereon,

a block carried in the slot in thebar and ada tedto en a ethe latter and havin no other connection with said machine, a vertically adjustable jack connected to the blocl'r, and means-whereby upon rotation of said jackin one direction said block is retained in anengaging position.

22. In a mining machine of the type which is slidable over amine bottom during cutting and Which'is adapted to be sumped and there after moved laterally across a face, a ma chine frame, a slotted cutter bar thereon, a

block carried in the slot in the bar and having no otherconnectionawith said machine, a vertically'adjustable jack connected to said block, and means whereby upon-rotation of said jack in one direction said block is held against verticalseparationfrom said bar.

23.'In a mining machine, a machine frame moving over and guided by a mine bottom during cutting, a cutter bar rigidly carried thereon and adapted to be sumped into the work,- verticallyadjustable ineans carried by said bar and having noconnection'with any other part of'said machine and adapted to support the bar during its sumping movement, and means for sumping said bar.

24. In a mining machine, a machine frame moving overaand guided by a mine bottom during cutting, a slotted cutter bar rigidly carried thereon and adapted' to be sumped into the work, a vertically adjustable jack slidably ca ried on and in the slot in said bar and having no connection with any other part oft-said machine and adapted to support the bar during its sumping movement, and means for sumping said bar.

25. In a mining machine, amachine frame slidable over a mine bottom and guided thereon during cutting, a slotted cutter bar rigidly connected to said frame,a guiding mem her-carried in the slot in said bar and engaging the latter and having no connection with any other part of said machine, and means for holding said member rigid during a sumpingmovement of said bar adjustable vertically to vary the elevation of said bar."

In testimony whereof" I affix my signature.

' MORRIS 'P. HOLMES. 

